Tony Robinson says he was a ‘seductive b*****d’ before he met wife

Blackadder star Tony Robinson declared that two decades ago he was “an evil, seductive b*****d at that table” as he recalled meeting his second wife Louise Hobbs.

The couple will be celebrating their 12th wedding anniversary this year, but their initial meeting was a complete coincidence as they both happened to arrive at an overbooked restaurant for lunch and were seated, as complete strangers, at the same table.

Speaking on the White Wine Question Time podcast, the 76-year-old told Kate Thornton: “It was one of those extraordinary moments where suddenly you’re with someone, and we both said this; ‘I suddenly sat down in front of the most fantastic person I’ve ever met’.”

Just Louise’s presence shifted Tony’s attitude as he recalled never fully believing people when they said they’d lost their appetite, but immediately offered to get her something else as she declared: “It’s the only time in my life I’ve ever, ever lost my appetite.”

As the podcast host revealed that the restaurant used to be owned by John Tororde, Tony gushed: “Did he? I never knew that. Well, it’s because of John Torode that I met the love of my life, how funny.”

The pair took their impromptu date from the restaurant through the Smithfield Market as the actor walked Louise back to her work.

While it was seemingly love at first sight for both of them, Tony’s public profile brought some scrutiny over the pair, in particular their 35-year age gap and the fact that Louise is five years younger than Tony’s son and two years younger than his daughter.

After five years of dating, the pair tied the knot in 2011 and have been happily married ever since, but that still hasn’t stopped the relentless probes into their romance.

In a 2016 appearance on Loose Women, the Blackadder star revealed that his daughter was “absolutely cool” about his relationship, adding that after a few years of marriage, he and Louise found it was “not an issue for us”.

The couple has since proved their age gap has no effect on their relationship as Louise has stood by Tony’s side throughout his cancer battle.

He was diagnosed with prostate cancer a decade ago, and in another Loose Women appearance earlier this year he assured fans that he is “fine”, determined to “die with it” instead of dying because of the cancer.